Shortaki Week 2017
by Arnold's Love
Summary: A collection of drabbles and one-shots inspired by Shortaki week prompts.
1. Jungle

JUNGLE (Shortaki Week 2017 - Day 1)

"What if a jaguar comes and eats me? How am I supposed to sleep knowing that's a possibility?"

"That won't happen, Helga."

"How can you be so sure, Football Head?"

"Because I'll keep you safe. I'll protect you."

"You? _Short_ man?"

"Of course. I'd never let anything happen to _you_."

"Why not?"

"Maybe one day I'll tell you. Goodnight, Helga."


	2. Moonlight

Moonlight (Shortaki Week 2017 - Day 1)

 _Oh, most luminous orb in indigo sky_

 _Looketh you upon my ideal guy_

 _Oh, all knowing lunar sphere taunting from above_

 _Wilst thou never guide me to my one true love?_

"Helga?!"

"Hey, Football Head, what's up?" she replied, casually looking over her shoulder at him as he hovered just behind her.

He could only stare at her in a shocked sort of daze, until he finally found enough sense to ask, "where did you learn that poem?"

Helga's eyes widened slightly. She stood up and dusted off her dress before responding. "Uh, what poem?"

He cocked his head slightly to the side in puzzlement. "The one you were just reciting to the moon?"

"Oh, heh, _that_ one." She rubbed her arm nervously. Taking a deep breath she said, "I wrote it myself, hair boy."

"No, you didn't."

Her eyebrow moved into an angry crease and her eyes narrowed at him. "What? You think I can't write poetry? Boy, do you have a huge awakening coming your way." She snickers softly, before raising an eyebrow and pursing her lips in amusement.

"No, that's not it. It's just…"

"It's just _what_ , Arnoldo?"

"It's just that…I've heard that poem somewhere before," he explains, casting his eyes to the ground.

"Impossible, I just wrote it while gazing up at the moon. It's pretty inspiring, don't you think?" she asks, glancing over her shoulder at the full moon shining down on them.

"Uh…" His face seemed to go shades lighter.

"Are you okay, Arnold?" Helga asked, putting a worrisome hand on his shoulder.

"I think I need to go lie down."

"I'll go with you!" Helga replied, immediately ready to make sure her heart's desire made it home safely.

"NO!" Arnold exclaimes over-exuberantly. Stepping back and blushing slightly, he gave her a soft smile. "I mean…uh…I'm fine. I'm gonna go by myself."

"Whatever you say, Arnold," Helga replied, crossing her arms and shooting him an all-too amused smile. "Whatever you say."


	3. History

HISTORY (Shortaki Week 2017 - Day 1)

I rushed into the hospital and frantically searched each room. She had to be somewhere. When I finally found her…I was surprised at what she seemed so interested in—until it hit me and I knew exactly what she was thinking.

"Helga, what do you think you're doing?"

"Aahh!" she startled and spun around to face me, hands up in the air feigning innocence. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," I replied. "And making sure you don't do anything stupid," I added, glancing behind her with a raised eyebrow. "We talked about this."

Guilt glimmered in her eyes, and she dropped her gaze to the floor. "I know, but…you don't understand. And how could you?" she replied, finally meeting my eyes again.

"Sure I do. Don't you think I'd like to stop my parents from ever leaving? Of course I do!" I exclaimed, stepping closer to her. "But I also know changing one thing can cause a ripple effect and throw off everything. Who knows what your actions might do!"

Her blue eyes pleaded with me—full of contradicting emotions. "But, Arnold! I could have a completely different life! I could have parents who _love_ me!"

I nodded in understanding before responding thoughtfully. "I think you're parents do love you…they just have a funny way of showing it. Not everyone is good at showing their feelings. I think you'd know that more than anyone else."

She pressed her lips into a tight line and shook her head slightly. "Well, I want parents that _can_ show me they love me—the way your family shows you they love you. That's what I want. That's what I deserve."

"I get that, Helga. I really do. But, Helga, think about that baby," I said, gesturing to the newborn babe sleeping softly behind her. "If you switch her with you…is that really fair?" I watched as she glances back down at the sleeping baby. "What if she isn't as strong as you? What if she can't rise above like you have? Do you really want to be responsible for whatever outcome comes from that?" I feel a tear slip down my cheek as I watch a beautiful, amazing girl struggling with choices.

She sighs and steps away from the baby with a shake of her head. Slipping her hand into mine she says softly, "lets go, Football Head."

"Where?"

She looks over at me with that smirk I know so well. "Back to the future. Doi!"


	4. Fantasy

FANTASY

(Shortaki Week 2017 - Day 2)

 _Crash!_

"Watch where you're going, Football Head," the pretty, scowling blonde yelled fiercely into Arnold's face.

"I'm sorry. Let me help you up," Arnold replied, reaching his hand out to the girl. That's when he noticed the bright pink bow in her hair. "I like your bow."

She froze as she got to her feet, her hand still in his. "Thanks," she finally stuttered, letting go of his hand and reaching up to touch her bow gently. She looked back down at him with a feisty smirk. "So you always rush around corners bumping into people?"

"Not usually." When the girl smirked even more, he felt his cheeks grow red. "I mean, it's not like I make it a habit or something," he threw out, to try to sound less like a idiotic twit.

"Name's Helga G. Pataki; Slytherin," the girl said, shaking hands firmly with Arnold. "You're a Gryffindore I see." She gestured to the gold and maroon symbol sewn onto his robe.

"Yah. My name's Arnold Shortman," he replied with a smile.

She looked him up and down for a second. "You know, rumor has it we're supposes to be your enemies."

"Aren't we all on the same side?" he asked, his voice a strange mix of sincerity and hopefulness.

She shrugged and leaned up against the ancient stone wall. "You'd think that, Football Head, but you'd be wrong." She closed her eyes for a moment and breathed in deep.

Seemingly out of nowhere, an icy draft flowed down the hall, curling around their ankles, chilling their bones. They both shivered, and laughed nervously.

"Don't you feel it?" she asked, her piercingly blue eyes direct on him once more. "Something in the air. Something not quite right. A sort of foreboding…like everything's about to change."

Arnold shivered slightly and heaved a sigh. "I thought I'd imagined that," he admitted finally.

"Oh, it's there. And at some point sides will be drawn," she stated matter-of-factly, and so casually it was almost alarming. Yet, at the same time Arnold sensed something deeper inside the girl. "It's only a matter of time," she continued, adjusting her Slytherin robe. "The question is…where will we fall you and I? History has endless examples of our destiny—of our opposing sides." She stared at him, something deep and pleading in her eyes, almost hidden beneath her stoic, almost harsh exterior.

Arnold gave her a beaming smile and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I believe anybody can do something different. Be the person that changes a long line of repetition." He moved his had away and shrugged. "Who says we have to be on opposite sides?"

Helga chuckled in amusement. "Aw, you _are_ a Griffyndor, Mr. Bright-side."

"Miss Pataki!"

Helga spun around to see who had called her. She stood up straighter when she spotted the cold, coal-black eyes of the Slytherin headmaster. "Yes, Professor Snape?"

"Stop gossiping with Potter's sniveling companion and get back to class," the professor replied, smoothly turning on his heel and heading down the hall, his long robes flowing behind him.

Helga elbowed Arnold in the arm drawing his attention back to her. "Guess I'll see you around, Arnoldo," she said with a small smirk.

"Yah, I'll see you around," he replied. "We will be on the same side after all," he added smoothly, his eyes half-lidded as he noticed the way something deep flashed across her eyes for just a moment.

Then she raised an eyebrow at him, seeming to be amused by some joke only she understood, before heading down the hall away from him. She glanced over her shoulder once to see him still standing there watching her, and she shot him a smirk once more. Something warm glowed inside him suddenly and he shook his head, still smiling.

* * *

A/N: This is also a little sneak peak of something I've got in the works. Won't be posting until I've got more figured out and written, but you can look forward to it until then! remember to review-drabbles need love too!


	5. Discovery

Discovery

(Shortaki Week 2017 - Day 5)

My stomach growled as I stood in line. I glanced down at my watch. What was taking so long? I'd been standing in this line for 10 minutes already. My lunch break was almost over and there was no way I could go another five hours without something to eat.

"Hi, how can I help you?" the young man asked the teenager just in front of me. One tiny girl, she couldn't take that long to order right?

But no, I was wrong. After what seemed like way too large of an order for a skinny-minnie teeny-bopper, it was my turn. I stepped up, glancing at the menu as I did so. Just making sure I was order the right thing, and hadn't subconsciously changed my mind or something.

"What can I get for you today?" the guy behind the counter asked me.

"I'll get the double chee—" but I lost the sentence as I finally met the eyes of the young man taking my order.

Eyes that I knew so well. Mesmerizing pools of green. Deep and endless, searching the farthest reaches of my soul…as if reading every last thing about me and thought within me. Eyes that brought back every last feeling of aching love, excruciating embarrassment, unrequited love, and eventual heartbreak.

"Are you okay, miss?" the young man asked, drawing me back to the present.

"Huh?" I breathed, feeling slightly unsteady, grabbing onto the counter for balance.

"Are you okay?" he asked again, his eyes meeting mine in another deeply, searching stare. That all to familiar concern evident in his eyes made my heart prick inside me.

"Uh, yah, sorry," I replied, pushing away a strand of hair that had fallen from my ponytail. "Can I get the double cheese with no mustard, onions or pickles on it?"

"So just the bun, burger, and cheese?" he asked.

The guy's face remained expressionless, but his eyes said so much more. That expression I'd seen before—and knew so well. A look that said, "I think you're a total weirdo but I'm intensely attracted to you all the same." A look that had been a part of my every day life for so many, many years. A look and feeling I had never before put into so many words, but at that moment expressed just that exact sentiment. And a look that could bring me back to those days just as quickly.

"Yes," I replied, hoping the blushing heat I was feeling wasn't evident on my cheeks. "Oh, and bacon! Can you add bacon?"

This time a slight raise of an eyebrow and that same strangely contradicting look in his eyes. "So, bun, burger, cheese and bacon. Do you want the combo meal with that?"

"Yes," I replied, glancing down at my wallet to distract myself from those eyes.

"Okay, that'll be $6.59. For here?"

"Yes." I handed him the money without looking up.

"Good."

I glanced up in shock for a moment, only to find a stoic expression on his face and those deep, piercing green eyes meeting mine once more. "Thanks!" I fairly squeaked before rushing to a table to wait for my order to be called.

I shivered in my seat for a moment. No. It wasn't Arnold. It wasn't the boy with the cornflower hair whom those eyes originally belonged to. Arnold, the love of my life, a man I'd somehow moved on from…but apparently hadn't really. It was another man—a much less attractive man, but whom somehow had those same eyes and that same expression in them. That "I think you're a total weirdo but I'm intensely attracted to you all the same" expression. I remembered that look like it was yesterday. They way he'd say, "whatever you say, Helga" and give me that look and that knowing smile and a kind of befuddled feeling would fill my heart and mind. That blushing, sentimentally sappy, heated, overwhelming feeling that I was currently experiencing all over again.

My order number was called and I headed up to get my food before sitting down again. I'd just started to eat my fries when a voice hovering over me asked, "Everything taste okay? Can I get you anything else?"

I almost didn't meet his gaze, but now that those feelings were back swirling around inside me I had to see those eyes one more time. Feel those feelings once more.

"No, thank you," I mumbled, popping another fry into my mouth.

"Alright, let me know if you change your mind," he smiled at me, heading back to the counter.

I'm gonna die. That's the gist of it. I'm gonna have a heart attack right here in a retro diner.

And all because some guy has Arnold's eyes.

* * *

A/N: I realize it's a loose interpretation of discovery, but this is a one-shot I've wanted to write for a while. So this is like exactly what happened to me about two months ago at my favorite burger place. And it was literally so shocking and like messed with my brain. First real love, first heartbreak...it all came back because the guy really did have the same eyes as the guy I loved. ugh. And then as I was sitting there freaking out I was thinking about how this would soooooo happen to Helga if her and Arnold never ended up together. So this was born. Hope you enjoyed.


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